• Home
  • About Us
    ▼
    • Joanna Posey
    • Lauren Barnhart
    • Cambell Boucher
  • Family Law
    ▼
    • Divorce Process Options
    • Divorce Mediation
    • Collaborative Divorce
    • Divorce & Family Law Litigation
    • Spousal Support
    • Custody and Parenting Time
    • Adoption
  • Estate Planning
    ▼
    • Wills
    • Trusts
    • Probate
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Posey Legal, PC

Portland Collaborative Divorce & Estate Planning

(503) 241-0818

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Joanna Posey
    • Lauren Barnhart
    • Cambell Boucher
  • Family Law
    • Divorce Process Options
    • Divorce Mediation
    • Collaborative Divorce
    • Divorce & Family Law Litigation
    • Spousal Support
    • Custody and Parenting Time
    • Adoption
  • Estate Planning
    • Wills
    • Trusts
    • Probate
  • Blog
  • Contact

Divorce Mediation

Virtual Services for Mediation and
Collaborative Divorce Available

Mediation is an alternative to court litigation for resolving issues between divorcing couples. Litigation is an adversarial process that often pits the parties against each other. The spouses have little control over the process and issues are resolved by the court, not the parties themselves.

Mediation is a cooperative process that addresses the individual needs and goals of each spouse. A mediator, who is a neutral third party, meets with the couple and assists them in coming to their own settlement agreement. The spouses maintain control over the outcome.

Benefits to Mediation

There are benefits to the couple and to their children by using the mediation process.
A neutral mediator assists the parties in making their own decisions. The neutral mediator, without taking sides, guides the parties so they can come up with their own solutions to the issues, including resolution of:

  • Division of assets and liabilities
  • Child custody
  • Child visitation
  • Child support
  • Spousal support

Mediation is a non-adversarial process. The process is not an adversarial one and the focus is on solutions to how they will live in the future. The couple learns to communicate their individual needs, explores reasonable options and make informed decisions that will benefit the entire family.

Mediation saves time and is cost-efficient. The parties are able to control the time it takes to resolve their issues if they are prepared for meetings and are able to settle their issues. The fewer meetings there are the less the cost.

Reduces stress. Since the parties are working toward resolution and achieving their goals, there is less stress than litigation which is adversarial and increases arguments.

How Mediation Works

There are several steps to mediation:

  1. The couple meets with the neutral divorce mediator to discuss options and come to an agreement on the issues.
  2. The agreement is put in writing. The parties will then be encouraged to seek the advice of a review attorney. There may be some additional changes to the terms they agreed upon after they speak to their attorneys. When the agreement is finalized it is signed, and dated by the parties.
  3. The agreement is filed with the court.
  4. There are additional divorce papers to file but the terms of the agreement become incorporated but not merged into the court’s final divorce judgment.
  5. Both spouses are bound by the terms of their own agreement.

If the couple cannot reach an agreement, they can still proceed with traditional litigation. If they can agree on some issues, they can put that agreement in writing and proceed to present their unresolved issues to the court for resolution.

How Long Does Mediation Take?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question about how long mediation takes. Some couples know what they want, so it may only take two or three sessions. Others are unsure, and it could take months to complete the process.

Mediation can proceed faster than traditional litigation if the spouses gather all their financial information together. They should individually establish goals for their future concerning how and where they want to live, how they want to co-parent their children, and how they want assets to be divided.

When Mediation Is Not Recommended?

There are some situations where mediation is not recommended. For example:

  • If there has been a history of domestic violence or child abuse.
  • One spouse fails to fully disclose financial information and there is a suspicion that there may be some hidden assets.
  • If there are complex financial issues which could be resolved in the Collaborative Divorce process.

For more information, contact us at Posey Legal, PC to schedule a consultation.

Primary Sidebar

Posey Legal PC
3115 Northeast Sandy Boulevard
Portland, Oregon 97232
(503) 241-0818

  • Let’s Connect
    (503) 241-0818

From The Blog

How Do I Contest A Will?

When people die and leave a will establishing how they want their assets distributed, there are sometimes heirs and other people who thought they would be included as beneficiaries and who are surprised to learn they were left out of the will, or that the will did not say what they thought it would say. […]

Testimonials

Attorney Jo Posey was recommended to me when my wife decided to file for divorce. I am very glad to have her as my advocate. Attorney Posey thoroughly explained the potential paths my divorce could take, and was realistic of how it would turn out. At the same time she was caring and sensitive to my thoughts and emotions, listening intently to everything I needed to say whether is was grieving the end of my marriage or going through the different specifics of my case. Jo has extensive experience with divorce cases and it shows in how she handled my case. She accurately knew what would be a reasonable and fair settlement, so she was able to direct everything toward that end, saving me a lot of money. She also knew potential pitfalls and ways the other attorney could game the proceedings, and so she proactively made sure to protect me from those tactics. While divorces can be very costly, Jo was extremely efficient with her time — be it writing documents, making phone calls, or discussing my case with me — which made sure that my divorce didn’t cost any more than it needed to. Invoices were thoroughly itemized so I knew how my money and her time was being spent. I highly recommend hiring Attorney Jo Posey for any legal issues regarding marriage, separation, or divorce.Less

Footer

Posey Legal, PC
3115 Northeast Sandy Boulevard
Suite 222
Portland, Oregon 97232
(503) 241-0818

  • Facebook

Copyright © 2023 - All Rights Reserved | Web Design by The Crouch Group | Log in